Chapter 344 We Agreed, Just Once

Francis flipped through "Ways to Pursue a Girl" and said, "No need for an ambulance. Ms. Wilson, just grab some medicine and bring it over."

Elissa replied, "Medicine, got it. No problem, Mr. Peterson."

Francis smirked, thinking this girl-chasing tactic was working pretty well.

Elissa hung up and called a delivery service.

Francis waited in the living room. As soon as the doorbell rang, he jumped up to answer it.

A guy with a big white smile stood there. "Hey there, here's the fever medicine you ordered. That'll be $35."

Francis paid, went back to the sofa, and stared at "Ways to Pursue a Girl," wondering why it wasn't working.

Over at Tranquil Haven.

I saw Elissa laughing and asked, "Not mad anymore?"

Elissa had the delivery guy take a photo for her.

Seeing Francis's confused face made her laugh even harder.

"Almost there." Elissa waved her hand. "Let's not dwell on this. Your birthday's coming up, right?"

Last year, Claire passed away just before my birthday, so I wasn't in the mood to celebrate. Plus, I was heavily pregnant, so Jerry's birthday was a low-key hospital affair.

I had never been big on birthdays, unlike Elissa who loved a good party. But Celestia's arrival was always worth celebrating.

I said, "Let's throw a party for Celestia and celebrate my birthday too."

"Sure, I'll handle it." Elissa took a few steps, then turned back and whispered, "I've got the dress ready. You need to try it on. Jerry's measurements should still be good."

Even though I didn't gain much weight during pregnancy, my body changed. I had been doing postpartum recovery, but a wedding dress had to be perfect. If something was off on the day, it would be a bummer.

I agreed, "Bring it over. I'll try it on when Jerry's at work."

Elissa shook her head. "This one's special. You have to come try it on. I didn't get this chance easily. Please make an exception."

I gave her a playful glare. "You make it sound like I'm royalty. If you say go, I'll go."

Elissa laughed. "I'm just worried you can't leave Celestia."

I said, "Just set a time and let me know."

"Okay."

I saw Elissa out the door.

Turning back, I went to feed the baby.

Madison said, "I'll watch her. You go try on the dress. It's important. If it doesn't fit, I'll figure something out."

There were plenty of wedding dresses, but the kind I wanted was rare. No time to design and make one myself now.

I replied, "Let's see first. If Elissa's doesn't work, I'll let you know. But Elissa's usually reliable."

Madison nodded. "Good."

After a moment, I asked, "Mom, are you really not planning to act anymore?"

Madison retired years ago but decided to return to the big screen last year. After that explosion, she stopped all work requiring her presence. Luckily, she had enough money to cover breach of contract fees. Plus, she recommended other artists and actors to brands and directors, so the fees weren't too bad, but many were still disappointed.

Madison was a real talent. She got famous for a supporting role and won a lot of hearts.

People had been waiting for her comeback for years, but now she was stepping back again. Fans always hoped she'd return.

Madison's injuries had mostly healed, and they didn't stop her from acting or attending events. But she just didn't want to be in the public eye anymore.

Madison said, "I want to try something new. I've been gradually handing over the company's affairs to Juniper. Now, I just want to spend more time with you and Celestia."

Elissa went to book a venue for my birthday.

The place she found was unique because the main hall was connected to a smaller one.

No matter how many people showed up, the main hall could handle the formalities, and the smaller hall could see everything.

Just as she was about to pay the deposit, she got a call from Jerry. "What? Then I can't book this one. How about we find a lawn? We can have as many people as we want... We can have an outdoor event. The weather isn't too hot... Though it's a bit cool, it's fine. With a lot of people and some drinks, it'll warm up."

Jerry trusted Elissa with the venue arrangements.

He had only one request. "Keep it a secret."

Elissa quickly promised, "I may talk a lot, but I'm always tight-lipped about surprises. I love them."

Jerry hung up and asked Steven, "Has the ring arrived?"

As dinner was being served, I heard the elevator and got up to open the door for Jerry, handing him his slippers.

Jerry raised an eyebrow. "Your attentiveness is making me a bit nervous."

I gave him a sidelong glance. "Then don't wear them."

Jerry chuckled, changed into the slippers, and hugged me as we walked inside. "Tell me, what's making you so happy?"

I retorted, "Can't I just be nice to you? Should I give you the cold shoulder instead?"

Jerry pinched my cheek. "Either way. Even with a cold face, you're still beautiful."

I felt my face heat up and broke free from his embrace.

Jerry went to the bathroom, washed his hands, and came out to hold Celestia. "Did you miss me?"

Celestia reached out, grasping at the air, and Jerry lowered his head a bit. Celestia's hand landed on his face, and she grinned.

Jerry bounced her a couple of times and said, "Looks like you're a little troublemaker just like your mom."

I glared at him.

He smiled, put Celestia down, sat next to me, and started peeling shrimp for me. "Don't be jealous. Have some shrimp."

Just as I was about to speak, Jerry suddenly leaned in close, lowered his voice, and whispered in my ear, "I know, you missed me too."

I wasn't as shameless as he was, so to avoid blushing, I quickly changed the subject. "Elissa said she'd arrange my birthday party this year, and I agreed. Just letting you know."

Jerry nodded. "Whatever you want, as long as you're happy."

Speaking of Elissa, I told him about Francis pretending to be sick.

Jerry put the shrimp in my bowl, wiped his hands, and said, "He wasn't pretending."

I was puzzled. "What? But in this weather, with his physical condition, it's hard to get a fever, right?"

Even though it was fall, it was still blazing hot, like 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

I suddenly had a thought. "He made himself sick on purpose. That's just another way of faking it."

Jerry laughed. "You really have a problem with him, don't you?"

I shook my head. "Not really. He's helped us a lot, but..."

"No buts." Jerry patted my head. "We can appreciate his help and still call him out for hurting Elissa."

I didn't have a huge issue with Francis. I just wanted to know what he really felt about Elissa.

Francis used to be so cold and hurtful, but now he was playing these silly games.

I asked, "Why can't he just say it directly?"

Jerry pulled out his phone and showed me a picture of a book titled "Ways to Pursue a Girl."

I raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"

Jerry smirked. "It's literal."

I put down the phone, thought for a moment, and said, "So he's trying to pursue Elissa?"

Jerry nodded. "You could say that."

I felt a bit exasperated. "But can't he just state his intentions first and then take action? Pretending to be sick is not charming at all."

Jerry handed me some food. "Eat first. You'll need the energy to be mad."

I took a big bite of meat and asked incredulously, "Did he really make himself sick?"

Jerry nodded. "I checked on my way home from work. It's true. Last night, he got mad, walked to the main road to catch a cab, didn't call his driver. But in this heat, he's not used to it. He got home all sweaty, took a cold shower, and still felt angry, so he drank ice water, which shocked his system. He was supposed to attend a meeting today but didn't show up."

I was so absorbed in listening that I forgot to eat. I wasn't surprised, just felt a bit helpless. "He may not have been slapped before. It's okay to be angry, but forcefully kissing someone is wrong. If he likes Elissa, he should just say it. It's better than waiting for the right moment to explain the airport incident. Once he says it, there will be plenty of opportunities to explain past behaviors and apologize."

Jerry handed me more food. "I suggest you don't interfere. Let them figure it out themselves. What you need to do now is eat well."

Madison chimed in, "I think you're too close to the situation to see clearly. Sometimes a little pressure can help, not just leaving them to their own devices."

I looked at Madison, and she smiled. "Just a suggestion. You don't have to take it."

Jerry spoke for me, "She values her friend. She's not sure if Elissa wants to continue, but she won't interfere in their relationship."

That was indeed what I thought, but hearing it from Jerry felt a bit odd.

I said, "Mom, your suggestion isn't wrong, but if Elissa doesn't want anything with Francis, I don't need to do that. It might backfire."

Madison hit the nail on the head, "I don't see her wanting to completely cut ties with Francis."

I had noticed that too, but I always felt that emotions didn't follow logic, especially with Elissa and Francis, who were close friends of both Jerry and me. If something went wrong, it would be awkward for Jerry and me, and they might not even be able to greet each other in the future.

"Stop overthinking." Jerry took away the cold food from my bowl and replaced it with hot food, also giving me a bowl of hot soup. "Eat well. I'll let you know when it's time to help."

I ate in peace.

Elissa had been running around all day and finally found a place that met all her requirements. As long as it didn't rain, it would be perfect.

Exhausted, she collapsed on the sofa as soon as she got home, not wanting to do anything. But after lying down for a while, she got up to remove her makeup.

While applying a face mask, her phone kept ringing on the table.

Elissa picked it up, saw the caller ID, and sneered.

She didn't answer and blocked the number.

Francis had waited all day, but Elissa hadn't sent him a single message. He thought, 'Does she really not care about me anymore? Is she really going to be just an ordinary friend, worse than a stranger?'

Francis pressed his aching forehead and sent her a message: [Tomorrow at 4 PM, at Brew Haven Cafe. I have something to tell you.]

Elissa didn't receive the message. There was no notification when someone was blocked.

Francis didn't verify and assumed she got it.

A breeze picked up in the evening, blowing through the slightly open balcony door and lifting the curtains.

The moonlight illuminated the two intertwined figures on the bed.

I pushed against Jerry. "We agreed, just once."

Jerry was shirtless, his body heat making my face blush, his eyes deep and unsatisfied.

I wanted to go try on the dress early tomorrow, so any issues could be dealt with promptly.

If he kept going, we wouldn't sleep until dawn, making it hard for me to get up early the next day.

I said, "I'm also thinking about your health. Studies show that as you get older, you shouldn't overdo it; it's bad for your health."

Jerry smirked, his husky, seductive voice lingering in my ear, "Did I do something to make you think I'm old?"

I felt there was a trap in his words and said, "I'm the one getting old. I can't overdo it. As my boyfriend, shouldn't you be considerate?"

Jerry chuckled from deep in his throat, "As my girlfriend, shouldn't you help your boyfriend?"

I opened my mouth but couldn't find a good retort.

Jerry leaned in closer, his husky voice making me dizzy. "I've been considerate of you, going so long without making love. Now, can you be considerate of me?"

I nodded inexplicably, and by the time I closed my eyes in exhaustion at dawn, I was full of regret. But I didn't even have the energy to be angry.

Sure enough, I woke up at noon the next day.

Luckily, I had prepared milk for Celestia in advance, or she would have gone hungry.

As I left the room, Madison noticed I didn't look well and suggested, "Get some medicine from Mr. Griffin to help you recover. You had a difficult pregnancy and your body is still weak. See if there's something safe for breastfeeding."

My face blushed with embarrassment.

Madison didn't say it directly, but at her age, having given birth to me, she surely knew why I was so drained.

"Mom," I rubbed my nose, trying to change the subject, "I'm running late. I have an appointment with Elissa. Please take care of Celestia."

Seeing my embarrassment, Madison didn't press further. "Go ahead, but you can't stay up too late in the future. Celestia still needs fresh milk."

"Okay, I won't!" I promised and quickly left.

Unbeknownst to me, Madison was thinking that living with us was indeed inconvenient and needed a solution.

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Chapter 344 We Agreed, Just Once